Tied to You

Just a Normal Day

Arnavji has gone for his jogging a while back. In the meantime I have made our bed , took a bath and changed into a soft mint green Lucknowi kurta with chikankari white plazzo from Anjali Di's new collection. Anjali di, the sweetest sister-in-law anyone can get. She had always stood with me in every bad phase of my life like my own sister would have. Oh God! I got so much drifted in my thoughts that I lost the count of time. Its already 7 o'clock and children must be sleeping till now. I quickly finished dressing up and dashed toward the kid's room. And as I expected all are sleeping soundly. One by one I started waking them up.
"Come on my darlings rise and shine, the sun is already up. Why are you still in the bed?"
"Mommy! Let me sleep please" came the sleepy voice of Aarav.
Supporting her twin brother's protest Sneha speaks too, "Yes mommy, let us sleep".
"Then who will go to school?" I retorted back
"You badi ma!" Adarsh speaks laughingly who was till now acting to be asleep.
I gave a glare to all the three who were now giggling.
"Just get out of the bed in 2 minutes or I am going to call your dad Aarav and Sneha."
Hearing the name of there father both sprinted out their beds immediately. Seeing the effect of threat on the other two kids I shifted my focus on Adi and used the same technique on him too.
"Adi you are still in bed, do you want a scolding from your father."
"My papa never scolds me" replied Adi with a toothy grin
I should have known better that Akash's threat won't work on his son for the sweet person he is who hardly get's angry on anyone, be it a family member or someone outsider.
"Hmmm, your papa won't, but your bade papa would definitely scolds you for missing your school. So get up now and freshen up."
With a sulking face Adi got up from his bed and taking small baby steps got into bathroom. Heaving a sigh of relief I started arranging their stuffs. It is always a hell of a task to make these kids ready for school. Keeping all their necessary things from school dresses to bags and water bottles, I shifted my attention to the angel sleeping on the fourth bed in the room. My angel she is, my third born. To be honest, out of all my three children she is the one I love the most . Its not that I love Aarav and Sneha any less , but her, it is something different with her. I don't know why I feel this, or may be I do. Smilingly, I reached Aru and giving a lingering kiss on her forehead I left her to sleep.
"Sleep peacefully my angel, it is still a year untill you go to school." patting her slightly I left her bed.
"Kids get ready quickly and come for breakfast." I shouted my orders to the three brats.
After getting done with the kids I returned back to my room as Arnavji would be coming back anytime from his job. Just as I finished arranging his clothes and other belongings for the day, I saw him coming through the door into our room. I gave a small smile to him in return of which he handed me a small packet of roasted grams and taking his towel went straight to the bathroom, his face devoid of any expression.
This is kind of a ritual he stated when I was pregnant with Arushi and used to crave for these aromatic tiny beads. Although the cravings stopped after Aru's birth but he never stopped bringing these "chanas" for me. Now I feels like that it's his way of showing that somewhere he cares. With his thoughts in mind and a smile on lips I went down to the dining area.
As I reached there everyone was already at the dining table, having their breakfast served by the Prakash brothers, Om and Hari.
"Good morning everyone!" I greeted them.
"Good morning?" was their chorus reply.
While Nani, Mama, Mami and Akash bhai were savouring their breakfast, Payal jiji was looking in a bit of hurry by the way she was just stuffing the food down her throat.
"Jiji eat slowly, you will chock yourself" I interrupted her.
"Don't have time, have an early meeting today" came her muffled reply.
Ofcourse she would be busy, she is an independent working woman who works in her husband's company as an HR head. That is how Akash bhai met Payal jiji and fell in love. Anyone would love a woman like her, beautiful, smart, graceful, ambitious, a woman who could be proudly introduced to this high society, a woman UNLIKE ME. I have non of these qualities, just an ordinary girl who is unfit for this high society, but still I am here because I was choosen to be the wife of one of the most influential man of this elite society.
"Momma!!!" the loud scream of Sneha ripped me out of my thoughts.
"Sneha why are you shouting in my ears"
"To get you out of your dreamland" she giggled making other chuckle with her.
"Are you OK?" asked Arnavji who is now sitting on the chair beside me.
When did he come here, I seriously need to get hold of my thoughts now otherwise I would become a laughing stock here.
Keeping my all feelings apart I started serving Arnavji his pancakes and coffee with toasts.
"Ok everyone I am going. Akash are you coming?" jiji announce her departure.
"No, I will come bhai. We also have some meeting lined up. Will catch up with you in office" Akash bhai said rejecting the offer.
After finishing breakfast everyone dispersed for doing their individual chores. The retired senior citizens walked to the living room to pass their time while chit chatting. The kids went to their school with the driver, whereas the father's duo took the root toward their office.
And ME I am now in kid's room, watching my angel. Just at the moment Aru woke up from her slumber, giving me her sweetest of a smile. And the rest of my day spents talking care of my daughter.

*****************************
It is already past 9 in the night, everyone is already retired to their bedrooms after having dinner, still there is no sign Arnavji. The office hours gets over at 5 in the evening and everyone has already gone to their families but my workaholic husband chose to remain in the office, working on yet another project of his.
As the clock strike 10 the door creaked open by the person most awaited.
"You are still awake. Khushi I told you so many times don't wait for me when I am get late" he spoke to me in a tired, soft voice.
"I wasn't waiting for you, just not get any sleep" I replied to him still lying on the bed.
"Should I bring dinner for you"
"No had it in the office"
"Your medicine?"
"Yes, had it"
While having this small conversation with me he has changed into his night clothes and got into the blanket.
"I think you will get your sleep now. So go to sleep." he whispered to me looking into my eyes.
I smiled as he caught my lie of not getting any sleep. Smilingly I closed my eyes to finally let the sleep take over.
We have came so long in our married life, a lot of things have changed now, he doesn't get angry now as he earlier used to get. In all these six years we have found a harmony, where we are walking on the same path but still are not togather.